Holly: Poisoned
by shel-belle
Summary: <html><head></head>Another Dark Forest possibility. Lionblaze gets a lot closer to Icecloud and they might become mates. Hollyleaf causes her littermates and Clan lots of confusion and uncertainty. Cinderheart might commit suicide from something her former best friend said.</html>
1. Chapter 1

Icecloud watched Cinderheart as she swerved sharply to avoid Lionblaze. Her heart went out to him when she saw his hurt expression. _Should I comfort him? What if he doesn't like me? What if he wants to be alone by himself right now? _Icecloud thought anxiously. Looking at him, Icecloud made up her mind. She padded softly to the handsome golden tom.

"Would you like to share a vole with me?" Icecloud mewed softly.

Lionblaze glanced at her, surprised, "Sure." Icecloud's heart was flipping nervously, like it always did whenever she was around him. As they quietly ate, Icecloud could tell something was wrong. Worry for her Clanmate pricked her pelt. He finished his last bite of vole and began to groom her. She did the same for him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lionblaze saw Cinderheart staring at him and Icecloud together. Lionblaze felt a twinge of guilt. _Cinderheart chose for it to be this way. _He reminded himself sadly. He had tried to enjoy Icecloud's company and forget about Cinderheart. When Lionblaze was padding to his nest, his apprentice, Dovepaw, came running to him.

"They're here! The Dark Forest cats are here!" she mewed when she had caught her breath. Icecloud looked really confused.

"Go to sleep," he murmured softly in her ear.

When she had left, Lionblaze meowed quietly to Dovepaw,"Does Firestar know?" She shook her head.

"I went out to make dirt and then I heard something. I cast out my senses and I saw them," Dovepaw explained, eyes wide. Lionblaze headed toward Highledge.

"I'll tell Firestar, you tell Jayfeather," he called over his shoulder. Dovepaw nodded and turned in the direction of Jayfeather's den. She caught sight of his gray tabby fur by the herb stores. She padded tentatively to him, hoping that she wouldn't disturb him and get yelled at-she just wasn't in the mood for it.

"Jayfeather, the-" he cut her off.

"I know, they are here and in ShadowClan camp right now." Dovepaw was only half-listening. Her eyes were focused on his eyes, no longer that glazed, blank stare but clear. He could see!

"Jayfeather, your eyes..." her voice trailed off. Jayfeather waved his tail in dismissal of the subject.

"Try not to tell the whole Clan, would you? I could already see in my dreams and now that there is no border between the dream and real world, I can. I don't want cats to know about it because it will be gone the moment the battle ends."

"Okay," she mewed uncertainly. "Anyway, Lionblaze just told Firestar about the Dark Forest. I think we should meet with them."

"Well, what are you waiting for then? Let's go." He trotted quickly towards Highledge and tried his best to keep his eyes still to give them the appearance of still being blind but, Great StarClan, it was so colorful and wonderful! Jayfeather's eyes flicked up towards the faint shadow of a cat. His jaws parted as he scented the air. _There it is again! That scent... It seems so familiar, but from where? _Jayfeather caught sight of a black fluffy tail. He followed ignoring Dovepaw's surprised mews. _There._ His eyes widened and his jaws dropped. Those brilliant green eyes of hers met his. Jayfeather had believed that she was dead. The tunnel... The black she-cat turned and fled. Jayfeather ran after her pleading with her.

"Hollyleaf... I missed you so much. Can't you stay?" Her eyes were blank, not recognizing him. His voice rose in a panic,"Hollyleaf! Don't you remember? I'm Jayfeather your littermate. Come back to us. Please."

"Jayfeather," she breathed. "Why couldn't you stop me or pull me back or something? My paw hurts so much. I was running in blind rage and confusion. I just wasn't thinking clearly."

"Your paw? Let me see," Jayfeather asked.

"See?" Hollyleaf repeated.

"Oops." Hollyleaf lifted her paw. The surface of her pad was sliced off neatly and was rough and uneven. Jayfeather licked it as gently as he could, but she flinched away from him.

"Sorry. Come on in to my den. It'll be easier to treat you in there. I'll make sure no cat says anything about it."

"I'll go the long way. You just go through the entrance." Hollyleaf jumped up on a low growing branch and slowly made it above the thorn entrance. She let out a muffled squeak of pain every time she landed. "Hurry," she hissed.

Jayfeather looked for some herbs hurriedly. He grabbed a small lump of yarrow in his jaws and practically ran in the camp.

"Hollyleaf?" he whispered as he reached his den. Briarlight and Sandstorm were sleeping. His sister landed lightly by him, all four paws bleeding. "You really shouldn't have done that."

"If I didn't I might've been noticed by Berrynose or Ferncloud." Her forest green eyes filled with concern as she noticed Sandstorm still sick. "What happened to the herbs I brought her at the entrance?"

"Oh, that was yarrow, not tansy. I think you might have mixed up your herbs again." Hollyleaf's black fur turned hot with embarrassment.

"Oh," she managed to mew. "I also left a squirrel. Who was that kit who brought it in?" Jayfeather seemed to ignore her question and began chewing some coltsfoot, comfrey, marigold, and dock.

"Raise a paw," he commanded. She lifted one and he licked the poultice on and pressed on some cobwebs to hold it in place. "Another one." She obediently raised another one and he did the same for the other two paws. His sister let out a relieved sigh after the brief sting.

Briarlight let out a faint murmur. She sleepily blinked open her eyes. "Jayfeather, who was that you were talking to?" He stiffened.

"No one. How do you feel?" Jayfeather asked, with a small flick of his tail. Hollyleaf saw it and pressed herself closer into the shadows with her bright eyes tightly closed.

"Fine. What's that strange scent?" Briarlight sniffed the air again. "It seems somewhat familiar like when I was a kit or something." Hollyleaf seemed to have forgotten about the brambles trailing out near the bramble entrance and stepped on one(She's not stupid, her eyes are still closed!). A long thorn stuck itself in her paw, the badly scraped one. She let out a whimper of pain and froze. Briarlight's gaze immediately swerved toward her. Briarlight looked at her curiously. "Who are you?" She studied her again. Now her eyes glowed with faint recongnition. "Holly..." His littermate fled, leaving a trail of blood.

"No!" Jayfeather yowled. He chased after her. "Please." A soft rustling in the trees told him where she was. He leaped up after her. The black she-cat froze.

"Jayfeather, don't. You'll fall and hurt yourself. Let's meet at the old abandoned ShadowClan Twoleg nest, instead."

"Okay,"he agreed immediately. "Can I bring Lionblaze?"

"Sure." Jayfeather tensed, preparing to leap. "Slightly to the left, there's a pile of soft leaves." He aimed there and made it safely, not caring to tell her he could see for himself. He trotted back to the camp, seeing Briarlight on the way, frantically searching for him. Jayfeather avoided her.

"Lionblaze?" he asked quietly, poking his head in the warriors den. The medicine cat searched for him but he wasn't there. _Dovepaw said..._ Jayfeather thought harder, trying to remember _Oh, yeah! Lionblaze would tell Firestar...about the Dark Forest._ He quickly climbed Highledge to Firestar's den. Firestar and Dovepaw were waiting in there. "Where's Lionblaze?"

Dovepaw blinked her brilliant golden eyes in confusion. "He went out to look for you. Where were you?"

"Hollyleaf," said Jayfeather, his voice low. "She's alive and waiting for us. I treated her pads. You don't mind, do you, Firestar?"

"That's okay," the ThunderClan leader replied calmly. "What? Hollyleaf _died_! What..."

"I'll get Lionblaze," Jayfeather offered, not waiting for a reply before leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors or any of the cats. Erin Hunter does.**

"Lionblaze?" Jayfeather called quietly, his clear blue eyes searching for his brother's golden tabby pelt. "Lionblaze!" he called again. Jayfeather trotted swiftly out the entrance. "Lionblaze!"He caught sight of his tail waving in the air, taking no notice of him.

"And...well, I have this...prophecy that says I can't be hurt in battle," he looked up at the white cat, hoping she wouldn't react the same way Cinderheart had. Icecloud looked up at him with mild confusion and affection in her eyes. After noticing her earlier kindness, Lionblaze couldn't help but remember his small happy fluttery feeling when they played as apprentices. He'd ignored it back then, but now maybe...

"That's okay. Now I understand. Do you think Foxleap might get himself killed in the battle you were telling me about? Can I tell him?"

"You mean...you understand? That's great!" he wound himself around her and purred happily. He licked her cheek affectionately. Icecloud pressed her side to him and entwined their tails lovingly. Jayfeather coughed quietly, giving them the knowledge of his presence. Lionblaze spun around and relaxed slightly."Jayfeather."

"We have to talk," Jayfeather murmured in his ear.

"Okay," he whispered back. "Icecloud? I'll see you later."

"Hollyleaf. She's waiting for us in the abandoned Twoleg nest near ShadowClan territory. Come on. Let's go."

"Are you feeling okay?" Lionblaze asked, pressing his side to him to check if his brother's pelt was too warm and possible support if Jayfeather were tired.

"Fine," he snapped. "Let's go." Jayfeather ran ahead, avoiding the bramble bush. He looked over his shoulder,"Ready?" The two littermates padded in, barely noticing Tigerheart's dark brown tabby pelt in the shadows. Hollyleaf was seated on a log, tail neatly across her front paws.

"You're here!" she exclaimed happily, not rising off her perch. Her brothers leaped on beside her, licking her affectionately. "I couldn't - no, I... well, I made it out and hunted in your territory, sometimes adding a little to your fresh-kill pile. I tried helping when Sandstorm got sick, but picked the wrong herb. Toadstools disguised my scent; I didn't want anyone to find me. No one understands. I'm a murderer. How can I -" she broke off, shaking with tears welling up in her eyes. Pain and despair were flooding her thoughts. "I almost - I almost ate deathberries to end it. If anyone found my body they would know. If they knew..."

Lionblaze wrapped his front paws over Hollyleaf, trying to comfort his sister the best he could. Jayfeather placed his paw by hers, also offering comfort. "I'm sorry. I kinda half-blamed you for what we've been through, but you've had it so much worse. You mean a lot to me. Don't ever try to kill yourself again. I thought you were dead. It hurt so much," Lionblaze mewed softly.

"You're fine now, Hollyleaf. You can't be a loner, rouge, or kittypet. Rejoin ThunderClan, please? No one would treat you badly. You are missed, especially by Cinderheart," Jayfeather joined in, hoping for his sister to be back for good.

"Cinderheart?" she scoffed. "She doesn't care. No one does. No one but you. I do miss you - truly, I do - but I can't. I'm so sorry. I don't hate you or anything. Please. Please forgive me. I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you." Hollyleaf's mew was hard and cold and suddenly soft and sincere.

"Forgive you? Of course we forgive you, mousebrain," Jayfeather mewed affectionately with Lionblaze nodding in agreement.

"I'm not going back. Never." Hollyleaf turned and padded carefully back to her nest in the edge of ThunderClan territory. "Bye," she murmured to her brothers. Tigerheart hissed and turned to strike Jayfeather with his eyes cold, hard and distant. Tigerheart continued battering him wildly and quickly until he dropped and turned to Lionblaze to do the same. Lionblaze felt rage build up in him and leaped, bowling him over. Jayfeather was lying in a corner of the Twoleg den unmoving.

"What have you done to my brother, Tigerheart?" he snarled, paws on his chest, not letting him get up. Dovepaw suddenly appeared at the entrance, panting. Her eyes widened in surprise and soon changed to hate as she sniffed Jayfeather's nearly still body and caught Tigerheart's scent.

"I trusted you, Tigerheart. You betrayed me, _again_. You nearly killed Jayfeather! What did he ever do to you? Bye. I'm never seeing _you_ again," the gray apprentice, usually so gentle and nice, turned cold and full of hatred whenever she glanced at him. Tigerheart's eyes cleared and his face fell.

"Dovepaw, please. I'll make it up to you. I'll -"

"Lionblaze, do you hear something? Something like wind whispering or leaves falling or maybe a bee buzzing? I can't tell," Dovepaw said, icily. Her mentor stared at her, amber eyes round with shock.

"Let's go. Help me with Jayfeather." Together, the two cats gently carried the medicine cat's limp body into the camp.

Firestar bounded down when he saw them. "What happened?"

"The Dark Forest," Lionblaze mewed darkly. Dovepaw's ear twitched and swiveled to the left, the right and was pricked as usual.

"They're gone!" she said in astonishment. She opened her mouth and scented the air. "They all left!"

"Should we move Jayfeather into the medicine cat den? Leafpool and Brightheart could help him," Lionblaze suggested, hating to see his brother bleeding and cold, in the early morning.

"Sure," Firestar replied. Lionblaze carefully lifted his littermate and laid him in his nest. Lionblaze darted out and raced towards the warriors den. Firestar watched with narrowed eyes as he reappeared with Brightheart, Leafpool, and Cinderheart. Leafpool's eyes were wild with fear and she was slightly shaking. Brightheart gave her a reassuring lick and smoothed her ruffled fur. Cinderheart padded in the medicine cat den quickly and confidently. She gave Jayfeather a brief sniff and began listing herbs and pulling them out of the wide cracks in the rock.

"Chervil, coltsfoot, comfrey, dock, goldenrod, honey, marigold, and of course, cobweb," Cinderheart said easily, as she laid each one down. Brightheart stared at her for a moment, before turning and focusing on Jayfeather. "Chew them into a pulp and rub it gently on his scratches and leave the remainder, including the honey, for me for him to swallow."

Leafpool nodded, understanding that it was really Cinderpelt taking over with more wisdom than she, Leafpool, could ever have. Brightheat, with some hesitation, obeyed Cinderheart. Jayfeather's silky gray tabby pelt, was quickly removed of the blood and became smoothed down by the herbs. Cinderheart rubbed some of the poultice onto Jayfeather's lips expecting his tongue to lick it off, but instead the treatment received no reply. "What?" she muttered. Cinderheart reached down to sniff him again, searching for any signs at what had gone wrong. She put her ear at his chest, listening for a heartbeat. The gray she-cat received a faint but steady heartbeat.

* * *

><p>Jayfeather, with a flick of his tail, led the StarClan cats into battle. They followed silently and quickly. All regretted the need to fight, but if they didn't the Clans, all four, would be destroyed. He gazed at his still form from above. The medicene cat watched as he saw his Clanmates trying to treat himself. A yowl somewhere from the ranks of StarClan caught his attention.<p>

"Yellowfang!" The gray she-cat was faced by her son, and she seemed dazed looked at the rest of his companions. Brokenstar stared at her menancingly and let out a low wordless growl.


	3. Chapter 3

Jayfeather flinched as he remembered his specific orders from Bluestar to fetch Lionblaze and Dovepaw by the same way he had, but with much less pain. An angry yowl from Spottedleaf surprised him and he turned to look.

"Brokenstar, LEAVE HER ALONE! Can't you see? Can't you see she _can't _fight back. How cowardly of you to attack a helpless medicine cat."

"Cowardly? Who? Certainly not me." Brokenstar began to advance on the former ThunderClan medicine cat. Spottedleaf took a deep breath and tried to remember all of her defense training and what she remembered the apprentices showed her. He gave her a sharp blow across her ears before Lionheart bounded forward and fought him off.

"Now," Yellowfang commanded Jayfeather. He nodded and sank back into his body. Cinderheart was mewing, distraught.

"I don't understand! He won't respond to any of the treatments I give him and he just seems so...so weak. I'm not sure if he can make it." Jayfeather pricked his ears, listening for Dovepaw and Lionblaze. Said tom was scouring his claws over the bark of a nearby tree, frustrated. Dovepaw was speaking with him, tail sweeping the grass nervously. Jayfeather squeezed his eyes tightly, imagining himself padding up to his brother. _Lionblaze...Lionblaze_, Jayfeather meowed to his brother. He whipped his head around, shocked. He fixed his gaze on his littermate, confused.

"What is it?" Dovepaw asked, placing her tail comfortingly at his shoulder. Lionblaze was still staring at his brother.

"I thought I just heard Jayfeather," he mewed uncertainly. _Lionblaze, come here, follow the white light. It's Jayfeather. You're needed to fight against the Dark Forest. Come here. _Lionblaze's amber eyes flicked inward and he slid to the ground with a tiny crunch from his front paw as he landed awkwardly, unmoving.

"Lionblaze!" Dovepaw shrieked, sniffing him carefully. "Jayfeather?" she wondered, gazing at the tuft of gray fur with the ThunderClan medicine cat's scent, that lay on her mentor's nose. _Dovepaw...Dovepaw! Listen, it's Jayfeather, and we're not dead or dying. Follow the white light and I'll explain everything. It won't hurt a lot, I promise. Dovepaw! _Jayfeather added as he felt her doubt and fear, sharp as an eagle's talon. Dovepaw nodded tensely and her eyes glazed, gray fur going limp and claws sliding out instinctively; her shoulder scratched by her own claws. She let out a small, shrill shriek of pain and fear. Birchfall heard his daughter's cry and let out a startled yowl as he saw Lionblaze and Dovepaw laying in the clearing, both slightly hurt. Other cats appeared quickly after noticing Birchfall. Leafpool sniffed them frantically, letting out a sad and angry yowl. Firestar saw them, emerald eyes filled with shock and fear. Whitewing gingerly lifted Dovepaw in her scruff, laying her beside Jayfeather, eyes reflecting the same emotions as her leader. Dustpelt carefully picked up Lionblaze with Squirrelflight's help and placed him by his littermate. All eyes turned to Firestar, whose fur was spiked up in fear. A small flittering shadow was hardly noticed, heading for the medicine cat den.

"Jayfeather?" a voice called quietly. "Jayfeather, can I have some more of that poulituce? My -" The mew was now silent, the speaker's jaws parted in shock. A low, long pain-filled wail filled the air as the small cat-shaped shadow buried her black muzzle in her brothers' fur. "Jayfeather, Lionblaze!" she murmured, green eyes filled with so much sadness and grief. She lifted her head wearily, meeting her former leader's gaze. "What happened to them?"

Firestar didn't respond immediately; his eyes were wide with disbelief and his ginger fur fluffed out in shock. "Hollyleaf. Hollyleaf, you - you're alive. Lionblaze and Jayfeather said you died after the tunnel collasped when you were chasing that squirrel."

"What happened to them?" Hollyleaf repeated, her tone cold and eyes like green chips of ice. She recieved no reply only stares filled with distrust, wariness, amazement, shock, and fear. "What happened?" the black she-cat asked again, voice shrill with anger. Her claws slid out, fur sticking out in outrage.

"Hollyleaf. What are you _doing?_ Hollyleaf, look at me. Look at me!" Leafpool cried out, shocked. Hollyleaf let out a hiss of disgust and padded threatningly towards Firestar. "Tell me _what happened_." Firestar took a few paces back. Cinderheart blocked her and said softly, half to herself, "Hollyleaf, what happened to you?"

"Cinderheart, what do you think happened to me? What do you _think_? I could care less about you, all of you, but I do care about my brothers. What happened to them? You, Cinderheart, had no reason at all to break Lionblaze's heart. You should know it was the prophecy, the prophecy I wasn't in that made me do it. All of it. It makes them no different, no worse than you. Cinderheart, I've killed before. I will do it again if I decide to. Ashfur deserved it. He tried killing us - Lionblaze, me, Jayfeather, and _Squirrelflight._ I do agree on the Squirrelflight part, though. Cinderheart, you know what? I think less of you than then I do fox dung. No, wait, fox dung is much too good for you. I've got it: Tigerstar's dirt," Hollyleaf mewed with a hint of triumph in her scathing tone. Cinderheart gaped, looking down at her paws, a single tear dripping down her cheek.

"I don't care!" Cinderheart shrieked, before fleeing into the shelter of the woods outside. Poppyfrost gave her a cold glare as she passed by her, leaving her kits to Daisy and following her distressed sister. Sorreltail hissed angrily at the cat she used to be quite fond of.

"Hollyleaf, go and apologize, at once," the older cat commanded, her maternal instincts taking over. "Now." Hollyleaf rolled her eyes and mimicked her. Sorreltail froze when she heard Poppyfrost's crazed screams.

"Stop! Cinderheart, stop. _Stop_, mouse-brain. STOP! Cinderheart, listen, if you eat those deathberries, Hollyleaf will feel happy. You don't want her to feel happy. No. If you do, I'll eat some too and then Berrynose will and then our kits will, then Daisy, then Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, and then their mates will and soon there'll be no more ThunderClan. Cinderheart, no." The distraught she-cat ignored her sister completely and bent down to lick up the deadly berries and dropped, out cold, after Poppyfrost aimed a strong blow directly at her forehead. "Sorry," Poppyfrost whispered, leaning down to drag her littermate's limp form back to camp.

Hollyleaf let out an amused purr that was quickly met by outraged snarls. "Can't a cat tell someone her opinions?" Hollyleaf defended herself. The black she-cat suddenly pricked her ears and bounded away hurriedly towards WindClan territory.

* * *

><p>"Jayfeather, explain," Dovepaw commanded him.<p>

"StarClan has decided to fight back to keep all five Clans safe."

"Five?" Lionblaze echoed.

"The four including StarClan. And Yellowfang told me it was time to get you because we need more to match their cats and because of your powers. Tigerstar seems to want more cats; he's commanding his followers to do things they would never do in their right mind." Dovepaw gave a tiny shake of her head.

"That means Tigerheart didn't really mean it then," Dovepaw breathed sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry." The two toms tactfully ignored that remark.

"...and we're supposed to fight in the battle on StarClan's side, of course, and... I'm leading."

"Leading? Who're you leading?" the pale gray apprentice asked.

"StarClan," Jayfeather answered, his voice low and blue eyes lowered to the ground.

"_What?_" Lionblaze and Dovepaw repeated silmultaneously.

"You think I chose?" Jayfeather asked, slightly angry at their doubt. "With Tigerstar's new members I think we should also add to our numbers. By taking them the same way I did you?" The muscular golden tabby tom nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, but is ThunderClan enough and what if our Clan gets destroyed?"

"It's not fair, is it. I mean we're going to take our Clan into a huge battle with the worst cats ever. They might all die." Jayfeather shook his head impatiently.

"No. _All _cats of every Clan will fight. Ivypool does know them - she just feels guilty."


End file.
